The Favored: Joseph's Story
by oceansalt
Summary: The youngest of eleven brothers, Joseph has always had it good with his parents. He gets what he wants when he wants it, and frankly, he's the favorite son. Much to his dismay, his brothers decide that he no longer is going to be 'Daddy's Boy' and send him away, someplace they can only hope means never seeing his face ever again. (Based on the story of Joseph in the Bible)
1. Chapter 1

My name is Joseph. Aged seventeen. Son of the well-known farmer, Jacob Eaves. I live in a small-town in Conquest, New York, as do my eleven brothers. Yes, you heard me right. _Eleven brothers, _and they're all older than I. How do I deal, especially with them all being from different moms than mine, you may ask? Truth is, I don't. As a matter of fact, they hate me. They wish that I had never been born. Why? Because I'm the favorite son.

"Joseph!" My father calls to me from the house. I am sitting up in the large oak tree in our backyard, shirtless, and enjoy watching my brothers tend to the newly growing crops. It's the split between summer and fall, the time where it's not hot enough to wear shorts, but cool enough not to wear a shirt. For me, it is, anyways.

"Yeah!" I yell, peering down at my old man. He's standing on the porch, scratching his thinning hair under his old camouflage fishing hat that he wears almost every day. His plaid shirt is rolled up to the elbow and tucked into his worn jeans, and his shirt is unbuttoned several times. My dad rarely wears a short sleeve shirt, or shorts for that matter. Mom just said it was what every farming man did. Not me, though. Of course, I still wear the camo hats my parents get me, and I'm even wearing one now, and plaid shirts and jeans, and cowboy boots, as we're farmers.

"C'mere! I got something for ya." Dad says, and by the way he's talking, I can tell he has a wheat stalk in his mouth. I climb down the tree, barefoot and plop down on the grass next to my dad.

"What's up?" I ask, sitting down in the grass and pulling my socks and boots on.

"Come into the house." He says, turning and striding to the screen door. I nod, standing, and following him inside. The smells of Mom cooking dinner, at four o' clock because we have fourteen people in the family, overwhelms my senses. Most of my older brothers don't live here-they live next to us-but we all eat together. I don't share my mom with any other brothers because the wives my father had before Mom died in succession. He's lost two to a car accident, and a sudden death that no doctor can explain. We all pray to God that my mom won't be lost before her time like the others.

"You hungry, kiddo?" Mom asks when Dad and I get to her in the kitchen. She's stirring something in a huge pot, and it smells like noodles of some kind.

"Heck, yeah!" I say, smiling at Mom. She just laughs and tousles my mess of brown hair.

"Go put a shirt on, you worthless thing." Mom teases, and I roll my eyes.

"As soon as I'm done with him, sweetie." Dad says, kissing her cheek. "Then I'll make him." Now it's Mom's turn to roll her eyes.

"Fine, fine." She says, turning her attention back to the boiling pot. I walk into the huge living room, with its leather couches, large TV, and wooden everything. Wooden floors, wooden walls, wooden ceiling. It's a luxury only us rich farmers can afford. My mom takes pride in our log cabin, and makes all of us clean it on Saturdays. Today, it's a Friday, and we're all dreading what tomorrow is going to look like. I plop myself down on the couch, and my dad sits in a love seat across from me.

"Son, you know that I appreciate your hard work, and your kindness to this whole family, and your perseverance. Your mother and I love you very much, and…" He sighs, and pulls something out from between the couch cushions. "We pulled together some savings money to buy you this." He holds out to me a belt. It's leather, and covered in decorative patterns. The belt buckle looks like pure silver, and I see some jewels on the outside of the belt.

"Father, I…." I pause, in awe of my father's generosity. "I can't accept this."

"I know, my son. I raised you that way. But, as your father, I'm asking you to take it. To accept this gift of my love for you." Dad says. I nod slowly, and reach out, taking the belt from his hands. I inspect it from tip to tip, and under both parents' watchful eyes, I slip it into the belt loops. Once I put it on, I stand up.

"It flatters your abs, son." Mom says, and my cheeks flare up. I've been working out for years, and last year, I finally accomplished what I'd been dreaming of since I was a young boy: a six-pack. Now, I have a twelve-pack, and am extremely proud of it. "Thanks, Mom. I won't let you regret this, Mom and Dad. I promise." I say, tucking my thumbs into my pockets.

"Good. Now, go put a shirt on." Mom jokingly snaps, going back to her noodles. I smirk, and go do as I'm told.


	2. Chapter 2

I tromp up to my room, which I share with three of my brothers, and go to the closet. I pull out a blue t-shirt, and taking off my hat, yank it on. I run my hands through my hair, then plop my hat back on. I walk to the mirror hanging on the wall and stand in front of it, inspecting my face. I'm considered handsome at school, with big brown eyes, thick eyebrows, longish curly brown hair, and lean muscles. I'm tall, too, and taller than four of my older brothers. I wink at my reflection, chuckling to myself, and I walk downstairs.

"Finally." Mom says once I go into the kitchen. "At least you're not half naked anymore."

"Mom." I say, drawing out the o in her name. She laughs, dumping the noodles from the pot into the colander.

"Go get your brothers from the fields, okay?" Mom says. "Dinner's coming soon."

"'Kay." I reply. I walk out of the house, and go to the large barn in the backyard. Opening the door, I let out a whistle. My dog, a large collie named Bay, bounds out, her tongue lolling.

"Wanna go get the boys?" I ask her and she spins about, barking with glee. "Yeah? C'mon, let's go!" I yell, laughing. We jog out of the barn, Bay at my heels.

We reach where my brothers' farming supplies are kept-in a tool shed-and stand by it. There are two brothers to each combine, and they ride around from sunup to dinner. I look up from the fields to the bell hanging a foot above my head. I reach up, and with a careful hand, I ring it as hard as I can. Bay whimpers, but makes no other sounds. The combines in the fields stop, and make their way back to the large barn where they are kept. I smile and reach up, wiping the sweat off my brow. Bay pants, and I peer down at her.

"Are you thirsty?" I ask her. She wags her brown-and-white banner of a tail. "Okay. As soon as the fellas get over here, we'll go." Bay stretches her muzzle in an interpretation of a dog smile, and I ruffle the fur on top of her head.

In no time, my brothers reach the tool shed, laughing and joking. My brother Reuben reaches out, taking my hat off and ruffling my hair.

"'Sup, little brother?" He asks. I laugh, snatching my hat and plopping it back on my head.

"Nothin' much, Reub. How's the field work?" Reuben has to be my favorite brother, probably because he treats me with respect and he actually acknowledges that I exist! Reuben laughs.

"Same as always. Boring, dirty, and quiet!" He says, wiping his forehead with his shirttail. I chuckle, nodding. Bay, still sitting at my side, wags her tail at Reuben. He scratches behind her ears and she moans in pleasure. "Supper time?" I nod, stuffing my hands in my pockets. Reuben's attention is drawn to my pockets, then to something around my middle. His eyebrows narrow.

"What?" I ask, looking down. I then remember the belt Dad gave me.

"W-who gave you that?" Reuben asks, looking back up at me.

"Dad." I reply.

"Why?" He asks, scratching the back of his neck. I shrug, peering down at my boots.

"I dunno. He said it was a gift."

"Did he say anyone else was getting anything?" Reuben demands, and I shake my head.

"No." I reply. I can feel the anger roiling off of my half-brother, and it scares me. "I..uh, we'd better go wash up." I begin to walk away from Reuben before he says something else, and my heart pounds in my chest as I do so. I have never seen my brother this angry before, and at me of all people! I shake myself loose, then hold my head high, strutting back to the house.

Bay and I reach the old farmhouse in at least ten minutes, her tongue still lolling out of her mouth. The delicious aromas of Mom's baking wafts outside, and I take huge whiffs, my stomach a growling tiger. I push open the screen door and tromp inside, most of my brothers around the table. Mom stops me, pointing to the sink.

"Wash up, son." She says, and I chuckle, walking to the sink and turning the water on.

"Whatever you say, Mom." I rinse off the grime and dirt from today by the warm water, and once my hands are completely clean, I dry them off on the old towel hanging on the oven. Several more brothers file in once I take my seat in between my parents, and out of the corner of my eye, I notice Reuben giving Dad and I strong glares. I sigh, taking my hat off and hanging it on the end of the chair, as is the rule in our family. My other brothers do the same, and once we are all around the table, we take hands. My father prays over the food, and once he says 'Amen', we start the family tradition of passing and digging in without a second thought. Firsts, seconds, and even thirds are piled onto my plate, until I'm about to burst because of all the food I've consumed. I lean back in my chair, folding my hands over my chest. I feel my eyes about to droop, and just as I'm about to fall asleep, someone pinches my upper arm. I sit straight up, hoping it wasn't one of my parents who caught me napping at the table. To my relief, it's just Reuben, who's hiding his smile behind a hand.

"You could've gotten beaten, Joe." Reuben says, chucking softly. I punch him in the arm, shaking my head.

"And you would've just sat there n' laughed it up." I reply back, sitting with my back to the back of the chair.

"Heck yeah!" Reuben chortles, causing both of my parents to glare at him.

"If that was a different word, son, you'da been in big trouble." Dad says.

"Yessir." Reuben replies, pulling his hands into his lap.

"Watch how free you are with your language." Dad rebukes him, and Reuben nods.

"Yessir." He says again.

"Good. Now, all y'all can be excused to your rooms, or houses, as supper is now over." Dad excuses the entire table, and everyone stands up. I pick up my plate and dump it in the sink, along with my fork, and walk upstairs to my room. After changing into my sleep pants and brushing my teeth before anyone else comes up, I go down into the chaos and tell my parents goodnight. They hug me tight, and my dad pulls me close to him so he can whisper:

"Keep that belt hidden, Joseph."

"Yes, Dad." I reply. "It's already done. I shoved it in with my socks. Nobody looks twice in there."

"Good. Now, go get your butt in bed and wake up bright n' early in the morrow." He barks, and I nod, jogging back upstairs. I crawl into bed once all of my other brothers begin to congregate in that general direction, and once I bury under the covers, I think to myself:

_I'm a pretty lucky kid. _


End file.
